Sports Betting Calculators

Legal Gambling Age

This chart shows you the legal gambling age in every US State. Find out how old you have to be to gamble at casinos, bet on sports, and online.
✍️ Written by
Darena Rodrigues
🗓 Updated
Feb 16th 2024

    What age is considered legal across each state?

    No matter where you are in the world, gambling is legal in most places. This includes most of the states in the US.

    While federal laws apply, each state is its separate entity and decides what kind of gambling is allowed versus what is not. Often though, there is an age requirement that goes along with it. Each state chooses to either allow players to play at the age of 18 or 21.

    Age requirements may vary depending on the type of gambling like gambling in a casino, claiming a online casino no-deposit bonus, or buying lottery tickets. Until they reach legal age, their parents are responsible for them and their actions. That means that if a person had a gambling debt, their parents would have to pay it for them. This is why in most places, the legal gambling age is set to 21 years.

    This chart shows you the legal gambling age in every US State. Find out how old you have to be to gamble at casinos, bet on sports, and online.

    State

    Casino

    Poker

    Bingo

    Lottery

    Horse Racing

    Sports Betting

    Alabama Online Gambling

    21

    19

    18

    -

    18

    -

    Alaska Online Gambling

    21

    -

    19

    -

    -

    -

    Arizona Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    18

    21

    -

    Arkansas Sports Betting

    Arkansas Online Casino Gambling

    21

    18

    18

    18

    18

    21

    California Online Gambling

    18/21

    18/21

    18

    18

    18

    -

    Colorado Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    21

    Connecticut Online Casinos

    Connecticut Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    -

    Delaware Online Gambling

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    21

    Florida Sports Betting

    21

    18

    18

    18

    18

    -

    Georgia Sports Betting

    18

    18

    18

    18

    18

    -

    Hawaii Online Gambling

    18

    18

    18

    18

    -

    -

    Idaho Online Gambling

    18

    18

    18

    18

    18

    21

    Illinois Online Casinos

    Illinois Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    21

    Indiana Online Casinos,

    Indiana Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    21

    Iowa Online Casinos

    Iowa Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    21

    21

    21

    Kansas Online Gambling

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    -

    Kentucky Online Gambling

    18

    18

    18

    18

    18

    -

    Louisiana Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    21

    18

    -

    Maine Online Gambling

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    -

    Maryland Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    -

    Massachusetts Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    -

    Michigan Online Casinos

    Michigan Sports Betting

    18/21

    18

    18

    18

    18

    21

    Minnesota Sports Betting

    18/21

    18

    18

    18

    18

    -

    Mississippi Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    -

    18

    21

    Missouri Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    -

    Montana Online Gambling

    18

    18

    18

    18

    18

    18

    Nebraska Online Gambling

    21

    21

    18

    19

    18

    -

    Nevada Online Gambling

    21

    21

    21

    -

    21

    21

    New Hampshire Online Gambling

    21

    18

    18

    18

    18

    18

    New Jersey Online Casinos

    New Jersey Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    21

    New Mexico Online Gambling

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    21

    New York Sports Betting

    18/21

    18

    18

    18

    18

    18/21

    North Carolina Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    21

    North Dakota Online Gambling

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    -

    Ohio Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    -

    Oklahoma Online Gambling

    18/21

    18/21

    16

    18

    18

    -

    Oregon Online Gambling

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    18/21

    Pennsylvania Online Casinos

    Pennsylvania Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    21

    Rhode Island Online Gambling

    18

    18

    18

    18

    18

    21

    South Carolina Online Gambling

    21

    21

    18

    18

    -

    -

    South Dakota Online Gambling

    21

    21

    -

    18

    18

    -

    Tennessee Sports Betting

    21

    -

    18

    18

    -

    21

    Texas Online Casinos 

    21

    21

    18

    18

    21

    -

    Utah Online Gambling

    18

    18

    -

    -

    -

    -

    Vermont Online Gambling

    18

    18

    18

    18

    18

    18

    Virginia Sports Betting

    -

    18

    18

    18

    18

    -

    Washington Online Gambling

    18/21

    18

    18

    18

    18

    21

    Washington DC Online Gambling

    18

    18

    18

    18

    18

    -

    West Virginia Online Casinos

    West Virginia Sports Betting

    21

    21

    18

    18

    18

    21

    Wisconsin Online Gambling

    18/21

    21

    18

    18

    -

    -

    Wyoming Online Gambling

    18

    21

    18

    18

    -

    -

    The state of Georgia prohibits gambling. However, if you are on a cruise and are 18 years or older, you can bet when the ship heads away from the coast.

    If you are wondering, one of the main reasons why casinos set an age limit of 21 is whether they serve alcohol or not. Mostly, tribal casinos allow people at the age of 18 to play; they include California, Florida (Tribal casinos: bingo and poker), Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin (2 tribal casinos only), and Wyoming.

    Other Countries: Minimum Age Required To Gamble 

    Let’s take a look at some of the countries and their minimum ages to gamble.

    Australia

    • Legal Age: 18

    • Legal Gambling: Sports Betting, Lotteries

    • Illegal Gambling: Online Casinos, Live Betting Online offshore casinos are not restricted

    Brazil

    Illegal since 1948 Exceptions: Poker at home, horse racing

    Canada

    • Legal Age: 19

    • Legal Gambling: Casinos, Sports Betting

    Europe

    • Legal Age: 18 (most EU countries) Exceptions:

      • Belgium, Germany, Greece, Lithuania: 21

      • Denmark, Estonia: 16

      • Portugal tourists: 18

      • Portugal nationals: 21

    India

    • Legal Age: 18

    Each state has their own law

    Japan

    • Legal Age: 20

    • Legal Gambling: Horse racing and Auto racing

    New Zealand

    • Legal Age: 20

    Russia

    • Legal Age: 18

    • Legal Gambling: Sports Betting

    • Illegal Gambling: Online Casinos

    United Kingdom

    • Legal Age: 18

    Exceptions: Lotteries, Soccer Pools

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the legal gambling age in Las Vegas?

    In Las Vegas, you have to be at least 21 years old to gamble.

    What is the legal gambling age in California?

    In California, you have to be at least 18 years old to gamble. However, because most casinos offer alcohol, you will need to be 21 years to enter them.

    Is the gaming industry governed by federal law?

    Yes! However, each state can place their own restrictions.

    What is the minimum age requirement to gamble across the US?

    Players can either be 18 or 21, depending on where they are located. The main reason for this is because most land-based casinos serve alcohol and that is why individuals need to be at least 21 years of age.

    If I am not at the legal gambling age in my state, should I do it anyway?

    Definitely not. Individuals who participate in underage gambling could be legally prosecuted and/or their guardians/parents could be questioned by authorities thus putting them into a lot of trouble. Find alternatives, such as sweepstakes casinos, and check with your local state authorities to know what is legally allowed and what is not.

    I am 18 years old. Which states would allow me to go to a casino?

    California

    A few card rooms and tribal casinos only

    Florida

    Tribal casinos: Poker and Bingo only

    Georgia

    Gambling on its offshore cruises only

    Idaho

    All Idaho casinos (few exceptions at some properties)

    Michigan

    Tribal casinos only

    Minnesota

    All Minnesota casinos (limited games available)

    Montana

    Tribal casinos only

    Oklahoma

    Tribal casinos only

    Washington

    Tribal casinos only

    Wyoming

    Tribal casinos only

    Does the gambling age differ for online gambling?

    For the most part but there are two states that it differs in: Colorado and New Hampshire. At casinos it is 21 but on online and mobile sportsbooks you can gamble at the age of 18.

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